Green Sandpiper
Least ConcernTringa ochropus
Visual Identification
Green Sandpiper
Appearance
The Green Sandpiper is a small wader with dark brown upperparts, contrasting with a white rump and tail. Its underparts are white, and it has a distinctive dark green sheen on its wings in good light.
In breeding plumage, it shows more prominent white spotting on the upperparts. Juveniles are similar to adults but have buff-edged feathers on the upperparts, giving them a scaly appearance.
Size
Length
21cm to 24cm
Wingspan
41cm to 46cm
Weight
50g to 110g
Colours
Males and females have similar plumage
Primary Colour
Brown White
Secondary Colour
Green Grey
Beak Colour
Black
Leg Colour
Olive
Habitat and Distribution
Habitats
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
Distribution
Green Sandpipers inhabit various freshwater habitats, including small ponds, streams, and marshes. They breed in northern Europe and Asia, from Scotland to eastern Siberia.
During winter, they migrate to southern Europe, Africa, and Asia. In the UK, they're more commonly seen during spring and autumn migrations, with some overwintering in southern regions. The lowlands of Wales, southern and central England, and southern Ireland are some of the best places to see them.
Elevation Range
Up to 2,000 meters
Climate zones
Temperate, Subarctic, Subtropical
Distribution Map
Distribution by Region
Behaviour and Ecology
Bird Attributes
Hover over the icon next to each attribute for more information.
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Diet
Green Sandpipers primarily feed on aquatic invertebrates, including insects, worms, and small crustaceans. Fish are also sometimes caught and eaten.
They forage by picking prey from the water's surface or mud, often wading in shallow water and probing with their beaks. They are also observed to turn over large underwater stones in search of leeches and worms.
Behaviour
Green Sandpipers are solitary birds, often seen alone or in small groups. They have a characteristic bobbing motion when walking and foraging. When disturbed, they fly off rapidly with a distinctive zig-zag pattern, often giving their alarm call.
Vocalisation
The Green Sandpiper has a distinctive, high-pitched call often described as a clear, ringing 'tlu-it-it' or 'klui-klui-klui'. This call is frequently heard when the bird is flushed or in flight. During the breeding season, males perform a song flight with a repeated 'tludle-tludle-tludle'.
Nesting & Breeding
Green Sandpipers have an unusual breeding habit among waders. They typically nest in trees, using old nests of other birds, particularly thrushes, woodpigeons, crows, fieldfares, and grey squirrels' dreys. The breeding season usually starts in May.
Occasionally, they will lay their eggs in a ground-level tangle of roots or tucked inside low-lying vegetation, where they use a shallow scrape in the ground with no added lining.
The female lays 4 pale green eggs with brown spots in a nest lined with moss and grass. Both parents share incubation duties.
Incubation lasts about 21 days, and the chicks fledge after 28-30 days. The young are precocial, leaving the nest soon after hatching.
Lifespan
years
The Green Sandpiper typically lives for 7 to 10 years.
Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.
Conservation and Status
Global Conservation Status
While the Green Sandpiper is listed as Least Concern globally, it faces threats from habitat loss and degradation. Conservation efforts focus on protecting wetland habitats and maintaining water quality in their breeding and wintering grounds.
Birdwatching Tips
- Look for Green Sandpipers near freshwater habitats, especially small ponds and streams.
- Listen for their distinctive 'tlu-it-it' call when flushed.
- Observe their quick, darting flight and white rump, visible when they take off.
- In the UK, they're more common during spring and autumn migrations.
Additional Information
Quick Facts
Other names:
Wood Sandpiper
Family:
ScolopacidaePredators
Main predators include birds of prey such as falcons and hawks, as well as mammals like foxes and weasels, particularly during the breeding season.
Did You Know?
- Green Sandpipers are one of the few wader species that nest in trees.
- They have a unique 'anti-predator' mechanism of defecating on their eggs to camouflage them.
- Despite their name, the green colouration is only visible in good light conditions.
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References
- 1
website: BirdLife International. 2016. Tringa ochropus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22693243A86680632.
View source - 2 3
report, 2015: EBCC